Three health insurers to offer Obamacare coverage in 2017

As expected, only three Louisiana health insurers submitted rate filings for plans to be offered through the federal marketplace in 2017, according to the state Department of Insurance.

Health plans will be offered through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana; Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana Inc.; and Vantage Health Plan. In April, UnitedHealth announced it would no longer offer Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare” health coverage, in Louisiana and most other states. UnitedHealth said those plans racked up losses of more than $1.1 billion over two years.

UnitedHealth’s individual plans covered around 29,000 people in Louisiana. The other insurers, led by Blue Cross, covered around 194,000 people through Obamacare plans.

The Insurance Department expects to post the proposed rates on its website within the next two weeks. States will submit final plan recommendations to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Sept. 8.